Two of a kind
by wolf of infinity
Summary: Have you ever thought about how England and Norway can both see magical creatures, and thought that they would make great friends? I have, which is why I've decided to write a series of one-shots about them. AU England and Norway friendship. Various genre
1. Playmates

_Have any of you ever thought __about how England and Norway are both able to see mystical creatures, and thought that maybe, they would get along? Well I have :3 Originally, this was going to be just an one-shot, and I wasn't going to do any more about it, but... I decided to make it a SERIES of one-shots instead, as the idea has grown in my mind lately ^^_

_So this is the first one-shot, and I don't know how many there will be ^^ It turned out quite fluffy, I think, and I'm happy with the result ^^ _

_Let me just get a few things straight: All the stories will be entirely __**AU**__, and both England and Norway (whom I chose to call Johannes) will most likely be children in all of them. So don't start bitching about how they're "OOC", ok? ^^ _

_(Also, it is NOT an England x Norway fic, as they are just children, as mentioned!)_

_I set the rating to "T" as I have a few ideas for stories that are a little more angsty or dramatic~ If warnings or certain information is needed before a story, I'll write this ^^ Also, the genres my vary, so I'll also write a bit about this before the story starts ;D_

_**Disclaimer**__: I do not own "Hetalia – Axis Powers" or any of its characters._

_oOo_

The playground was empty. There were no traces of the light-hearted laughter that usually filled the air, or the playing children that came there. A chilly autumn wind played with an abandoned glove, and blew sand across the roads drawn in the sand box, while the evening sun cast a golden light on the scene, twinkling in the blonde hair of a single child, sitting alone on a swing.

His feet pushed half-heartedly against the ground as he let himself swing back and forward. Soon enough, he came to a stop entirely, as his quiet sobs filled the air. He rubbed his small fists against his eyes, stubbornly trying to stop the tears from falling, though without much luck.

Why did things always end up like this? He'd see the other children playing here, and before long, the wish to be included in the fun would grow too strong, and he'd head over, almost shyly asking them to let him join. It would go well for a while, but at one point or another, he'd slip up and they would start making fun of him.

It wasn't his fault they were stupid enough not to see _them_. He had learnt to stay quiet about his friends, but as he got more and more into the games and the laughter, he'd always say something that had the other kids blink and laugh at him. They were _always_ laughing at him...

Just because he could see things that they couldn't. Just because his only real friends were magical creatures that no one else believed in. Just because "Arthur Kirkland" was a freak who 'thought fairies and unicorns were real'.

"Stupid Francis... stupid everyone..." he sniffled, hearing their mocking voices, and their mock fear.

_Stay away from Loony Arthur, you'll be infected!_

_Hey Eyebrows, why don't you go take a ride on Mr. Unicorn?_

_Oh no, he'll be angry and send to fairies to get us!_

Always mocking. Always laughing. Always leaving, so that he was the only one left with no one to play with. Sure, his real friends were nice, but it was a bit difficult to play "hide and seek" with them, or make sand castles with them, or do other activities that children generally did together.

"Hei..." The quiet, soft voice startled him, and he gasped, falling back and off of the swing, landing on the hard ground with a thud. Coughing, he blinked, looking up at the person standing over him. It was a boy, about his own age, with pale blonde hair, held back on one side by a hair pin, and blue eyes that eyed him with concern.

For a moment, Arthur just stared at him, before quickly sitting up and drying his tears, looking away embarrassedly.

"Går det bra med deg?" he heard the boy ask, squatting down and cocking his head to one side. Arthur blinked in confusion. He didn't recognize the language, as he hadn't been much outside England.

"Um... I don't... understand," he murmured shyly, shaking his head. The boy eyed him for a moment before smiling.

"I guess you wouldn't. I asked if you were all right." His English had a slight accent, but was still pretty good. He stood and held out a hand and Arthur hesitated only slightly before letting the other help him to his feet. They were about the same height, which was somewhat a relief to Arthur – everyone always teased him because he was shorter than most kids his age.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," he answered quickly when the boy raised an eyebrow in question.

"Really." The boy didn't say any more, and Arthur blushed slightly, feeling stupid. Of course he didn't seem ok, he had been crying like some sort of whiny brat, after all... Really, he was too old to cry, a big boy – Would turn six in just a few months, even!

"Yeah, really," he muttered stubbornly, bottom lip quivering ever so slightly. The boy didn't comment on it, simply walking over to the sand box, hopping up on the small ledge surrounding it and balancing, arms outstretched.

"My name is Johannes," he said. "What's yours?"

"Arthur..." Arthur answered, in truth wondering how long it would be until this boy found out how much of a freak he was and left. "Johannes... Your name is difficult to say..."

"I'm Norwegian, that's why."

"Oh..." Arthur honestly had no idea what country a "Norwegian" would come from. Norwegia? Norweg? For a moment he could picture some exotic far-away country, with giant trees and huge grass fields and... Oh well, what did it matter anyway. "But you speak English," he stated, some of his confusion slipping into his voice.

"My mother taught me," Johannes explained with a shrug, as he turned to look at Arthur, while balancing on the ledge. "Say, aren't you going to introduce me...?"

Arthur blinked once. Twice. He looked at the fairy perched on his shoulder and blinked again.

"You... you can see her?" he asked hesitantly, eyes widening slightly. He didn't dare to believe it, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You're not just m-making fun of me, are you...?"

"She's sitting on your shoulder, looking just as shocked as you," Johannes shrugged, cocking his head again with a small smile before leaping off the sand box.

"Oh... Right, t-this is Leah," he said quickly, still unable to really believe this. Leah looked a little shy, flying up and partially hiding behind his hair as she gave a smile and small wave. She always was the one who was most wary of strangers – except perhaps the unicorn.

"Nice to meet you, Leah," Johannes said with a little giggle. He then glanced at Arthur and his smile widened just slightly, making his eyes twinkle with life. It was quite a change, Arthur noted, Johannes looked a lot more approachable when he smiled. It made the young Englishman relax ever so slightly and he allowed a smile to touch his own features.

"I thought... I thought no one else could see them," he said shyly, glancing down at his feet. "Everyone always makes fun of me and say lots of mean stuff..."

"Now we're at least two people who can see them. Don't worry, I'm sure there are more of us out there. It's a big world."

Arthur blinked in surprise when Johannes grabbed his hand, leading him over to the sand box.

"Let's build a sand castle, Arthur! One big enough for Leah to live in! You can be the king if you want."

Arthur smiled widely, enjoying the warmth of the hand holding his own.

"We can both be kings," he giggled, and Johannes smiled.

Perched on Arthur's head, playing with his unruly hair, Leah smiled warmly as she watched the two children play as if they had always been friends, while the evening sun let its last rays smile upon the no longer empty playground.

oOo

_I hope you enjoyed it~ If you could leave a review telling me what you thought, instead of just adding it to your favourites, that would make me a very happy person~ ^^_

_Translations (though they're probably not needed):_

_Hei – Hi/hello_

_Går det bra med deg?- Are you all right?_


	2. Winter Wonderland?

_Here comes another one-shot, this time a more dramatic story. It also includes some slight cursing, but not much~ __I suppose genres could be friendship and drama or adventure, but you'll just have to read and see for yourself. Hope you'll like it ^^ _

_Oh, btw. In this story, you'll also see little Iceland, whom I chose to call Henrik ^^_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia – Axis Powers or any of its characters._

_oOo_

The sound of cheerful giggles was carried with the wind, along with the scarce white flakes that was making their way from the sky. Just during the last few days, a rather thick layer of snow had collected on the ground, to the children's great joy. Arthur glanced at the children laughing and throwing snow balls, barely able to contain his excitement. Dressed in thick winter clothes that were a bit too big – he'd inherited them from his older brother – and with a scarf tucked safely around his neck and the lower part of his face, he felt ready to explore the white wonderland.

It seemed to take ages before he finally reached the small house where his friend lived. He could hardly wait to go ask Johannes if he wanted to come out and play. The house was at the further north side of the small town, where the road travelled out among large fields surrounded by forests, lakes, and scattered farms. It was a beautiful place, and made for a really cool playing field for the two children, unlike the streets and playgrounds further into town where Arthur lived.

He'd come here quite often lately, as it wasn't all that far to walk on his own – although, admittedly, his mother had accompanied him the first few times.

Practically skipping up the small pathway through the garden and up to the porch, he had troubles hiding his smile as he knocked eagerly. At first there wasn't any answer, and he started worrying that they might not be home, but then he heard some shuffling and eventually the door opened slowly.

In the door way stood Johannes' four year old brother, blinking with those big eyes of his as he shuffled shyly. Arthur smiled at him, always finding little Henrik to be very cute, and thinking he wanted a little brother of his own. All he had was some very annoying and mean older brothers...

"Is Johannes home?" he asked eagerly, shifting his weight from one leg to the other impatiently. Henrik didn't answer, but looked behind him, shifting away from the door as Johannes came to sight and opened the door a little more.

Arthur's smile changed into a slight frown as he looked at his friend. He looked... sick. His skin was pale, and he looked tired, although his eyes brightened when he saw Arthur.

"Hei," he said, in Norwegian. Arthur had long since learnt the basic Norwegian greetings, such as hello and goodbye - as well as a few bad words he knew neither of their parents would approve of. He still found some pleasure in recalling the time he had called his older brother an "jævla drittsekk", to which his brother had been really confused – blissfully unaware of the fact that he'd called him a "fucking bag of dirt".

"Are... are you sick?" he asked, just as Johannes turned away and coughed into his hand.

"Just a little cold," his friend replied, before letting his blue eyes drift over Arthur. "I'll just ask-"

"Johannes, what are you doing by the door in those clothes, you'll get worse!" His mother appeared behind him, and her concerned frown turned to a smile as she saw Arthur. "Oh, hello Arthur, please come in for a little while?" She ushered him inside and shut the door behind him, while Johannes looked a little exasperated.

"Mamma, can I..."

"I know you want to go outside and play, darling, but... You have a fever, and I don't want you getting any sicker than you already are," she said. Johannes visibly deflated, eyes downcast. His mother sighed softly, glancing out the window, and then at Arthur, who looked just as disappointed as her son.

"Oh, all right... But not for long, you hear me? And I won't have any of you taking of your scarf while you are out! And if you could take Henrik with you, just for a while, that would be great!"

At this, both Arthur and Johannes lit up, smiling at each other, while Henrik giggled with delight, understanding the bit about him getting to join them in their fun.

Merely fifteen minutes later, Johannes was dressed in several layers of clothing, satisfying his mother, and holding Henrik's hand as they headed outside to play in the nearby field. It had stopped snowing now, but the sky promised more before long.

The three headed across the white lands towards the forest edge nearby, where Johannes' father had put up a pair of swings. It seemed time passed far too quickly, and it was getting a little late, when Arthur suddenly noticed something, halting his current mission of building a big snow unicorn. Johannes was looking around anxiously, biting his lower lip.

"Johannes, what's wr-"

"H-Henrik's gone!" Johannes cut him off, his voice a bit more high-pitched than usual as he looked towards the forest. His little brother had just been playing over there, making small snow angels... Arthur suddenly felt very cold and a bit scared as he too looked around, seeing no sign of the little boy.

"Henrik?" Johannes walked a bit further towards the forest, gasping as he noticed the tiny tracks leading in between the trees. "Oh no... Oh, I promised mamma to look after him...!" he cried, and Arthur ran over to him, peering into the forest before swallowing heavily and forcing a smile onto his lips.

"Let's go look for him, if we follow his tracks, we'll find him, you'll see! He can't have gotten that far, right?"

Johannes nodded hesitantly. Henrik was pretty small, and could impossibly have gone far. Still, they both pictures the little boy getting lost and crying out for them in fear. With a final glance at each other, the boys headed into the forest, which their parents had told them quite strictly to stay out of.

It was exciting in a way to do things they knew they weren't allowed to, and in any other situation, both boys would be thrilled. As it was, Arthur could see Johannes struggling, being tired and cold, and also coughing a lot more than he was when they went outside. His cheeks were red, either from the cold or the fever, or possibly a combination of both. Still, his eyes were determined and he kept calling for his brother, despite the fact that his voice was hoarse and weak.

"Henrik! Where are you?" Arthur called too, over and over, as they stumbled after the foot tracks in the snow, which seemed almost grey and threatening as they got further into the forest, where the sun hardly reached down through the trees.

Suddenly, they came to a steep slope and stopped, staring at the markings in the snow – Henrik had fallen down there, no doubt... Swallowing heavily, the two boys sat down and slid down the slope as well, standing and listening as they heard quiet sniffles.

"Henrik!" Johannes called, running forward, while Arthur followed. They got through the tree line and into a small clearing. There, under a fairly big tree, Henrik sat curled up and sobbing into his knees. Johannes was at his brother's side in a matter of seconds, pulling him into a tight embrace, which Henrik responded to by wrapping his little arms around his waist, sobbing into his chest.

"It's okay, we're here now," Johannes murmured softly, thumbs gently wiping away the tears on Henrik's chubby, red cheeks. "You can't just run off like that, I was really scared!" Henrik looked guilty, but also a little curious.

"Butterfly!" he chirped, pointing a bit to the side. Then his face fell into sad lines. "I think it's cold, it isn't moving..." Arthur blinked. Butterflies in December? That was impossible! He walked over to the spot Henrik pointed to and gasped, staring with sadness at the tiny creatures lying in the snow.

"What is it...?" Johannes asked.

"It's... it's a fairy," Arthur said and tried to keep back his tears when he noticed how pale and cold she was, not glowing at all anymore. He crouched down, picking her up as gently as he could. She was very cold, and he realized that she was probably dead... "Poor fairy..." he murmured sadly, as Johannes came over to him, looking just as stricken.

"Is butterfly ok?" Henrik asked, standing next to his brother and holding his hand tightly.

"Y-yes... butterfly is just sleeping, Henrik," Johannes whispered, trying his best not to cry as they watched the small magical creature disappear, only some of her silver dust remaining. Leah had said something about this before, and they were convinced that the small creature was living happily along with her ancestors now, in the land of the fairies.

The three stood silently for a while, before Johannes coughed violently. Arthur looked at him with worry, noting how tired his friend looked. He looked very sick...

"Are you ok?" he asked anxiously. "Let's head back, they're probably worried about us..." Johannes only nodded, and they headed back. A new problem made itself known, however, as they reached the slope, which seemed to tower over them. It had been no problem getting down, but getting _up_ was a different matter entirely...

"Heh, this is no problem..." Arthurs aid, puffing out his chest and trying his best to seem braver than he felt as he approached the tall wall of snow. He started climbing up, struggling a little as the snow constantly slipped away under his feet. Finally managing to get onto a somewhat safe ledge, he looked down.

"Come on, you can do it! I'll help you!" he said, taking of his scarf and holding it down. Johannes ushered Henrik up first, and the little boy made small sounds of complaint as he struggled up through the snow. His fist grabbed hold of the scarf, and Arthur could feel the fabric complaining, but thankfully it didn't break, and he managed to pull the small child up with him. They were almost half way up, he noticed, and it suddenly seemed very far down.

"Come on, Johannes!" he called, and the other nodded slightly before starting to climb. Arthur almost thought he'd manage to get up, but then he coughed, losing his grip on the scarf and hill side. Arthur felt something twist inside as he watched his friend tumble back down, landing in the snow beneath the slope.

The Norwegian boy slowly managed to get up and started climbing again, this time almost reaching Arthur's out-stretched hand. But suddenly, his eyes seemed to lose focus and then he yet again rolled down, ending up on his side in the snow.

Arthur waited for his friend to get up and try again, but as moments ticked by and his friend didn't move, he suddenly grew very scared.

"Johannes?"

No reply, and no movement from the other boy.

"H-hey, can you try again? We h-have to get back!" Arthur called anxiously, and his heart thumped violently when he realized that something was very wrong. Beside him, Henrik whimpered and promptly began crying again.

"Henrik, wait here, ok?" he said and slipped down, running over to Johannes and turning him around so he could see his face. His hat had fallen of, his hair falling into his face, curling slightly as it had grown damp from the snow. His face startled Arthur, as it was almost as white as the snow surrounding them, his cheeks contrasting greatly with their deep red colour, while his lips looked almost bluish.

"J-Johannes!" he cried fearfully, shaking his friend a little. "Please, you can't sleep here, w-we have to get back!" he forced back the tears when he heard Henrik sobbing more loudly on the small ledge, reacting to the older boy's fear and his brother's unmoving state.

"Mm..." Arthur gasped when he heard the small sound, looking down and meeting Johannes' blue eyes. They were distant and didn't seem to really see him.

"Johannes! Please say s-something!" Arthur whimpered. This wasn't at all as fun as he had imagined when he headed out that morning. Surely, Johannes' parents must be looking for them by now...?

"W-warm..." Johannes murmured hoarsely, reaching up to pull off some of his clothing.

"N-no, your mother said not to take your scarf of, so you can't do it! It's better for you to be warm than cold!" Arthur ordered worriedly, recalling the woman's conditions for letting them out to play. Johannes didn't reply, simply lay there, breathing in shallow, strained gasps. "H-Henrik..." he suddenly murmured, hearing his brother's cries.

"Henrik, can you... can you come down here?" Arthur called up to the little boy, who blinked through his tears, shaking his head. "Please, Johannes wants you here!" Arthur pleaded, and this seemed to get through to the little boy. The next moment, he'd slipped down the snow, stumbling over to them.

Arthur realized that there was no way they were getting up the way they came ... They would just have to find another way, around the slope... Too bad this was a pretty hard task to do; Johannes clearly wasn't in any state to be walking very far. To make matters even worse, the sun was beginning to set, making dark shadows spread across the scenery.

"Johannes, can you get up? I'm going to c-carry you!" he said, shaking his friend slightly. The other blinked, looking at him with surprise and also slight fear, but he somehow managed to get up, standing on unsteady feet. Arthur bent down, and nearly fell under the extra weight as Johannes got up on his back. Finding his balance, Arthur swallowed, looking back at Henrik who eyed them with wonder.

"Let's go, Henrik, we're going home now!" he said, doing his best to sound like a big, brave boy, even if he didn't really feel like a big, brave boy at the moment. The youngest of the three nodded and then they were on their way, walking alongside the slope at a slow pace. Arthur grew frustrated when it felt like they'd been walking for hours, and he could still look back and see the spot they had just been to. No use thinking about it, though, and he soon enough got more preoccupied by listening to Johannes harsh coughs, and his ragged breathing.

"Are you awake?" he asked in a small voice after a while, between his own tired breathing.

"Mhm..." came the small reply. "Sleepy..."

"You shouldn't sleep!" Arthur said. He'd heard about this from his mother last winter, and remembered that sleeping when one was out in the cold was dangerous. "I got it! I'll sing a song!" He halted for a second, trying to think of a song, and then began singing, in an unsteady and wavering tone, humming the tune at the places where he didn't know the words.

Arthur sung every song he could remember, and Henrik joined in on a few of them, even if his humming didn't really match the song at all. At one point, even Johannes hummed quietly to the tune of an old children's song, before coughing so much he had to stop.

Arthur's feet were aching, and Johannes felt heavy on his back, as he stumbled through the forest. At some point, the slope had evened out, but the bushes were so thick that they couldn't get through, and Arthur could hardly see where they were going, as it had grown very dark. Fear seemed to pull at his thoughts, but he forced it back. He couldn't give in to the panic, Henrik would start crying again, and none of them would get home.

That's right, they were getting home! He was going to get them all safely back to Johannes' house! This was just an adventure, and it would have a happy ending! All adventures had happy endings, right...?

A muffled cry from Henrik broke him out of his thoughts and he looked back to see that the little boy had fallen, sitting in the soft snow and whimpering from both fear and exhaustion.

"I want mamma...!" he cried, tears starting to make their way down his face again.

"Please, Henrik, we'll be there soon," Arthur pleaded, but the boy only bawled harder, sniffling and hiccupping. "You have to get up! We can't stay here, don't you understand?"

"Mamma..." Henrik cried, and, as if faith had decided that they wouldn't get any further than this dark clearing, Arthur's legs collapsed under him and he landed in the snow, Johannes on top of him. Somehow, he managed to get into a sitting position, but his body was complaining from exhaustion.

Arthur couldn't hold back the tears anymore. He couldn't move, Johannes seemed to be sleeping, Henrik was bawling, everything was dark around them, and he had a feeling they would never get back.

"Oh, please... somebody... HELP!" he cried out, his voice echoing slightly in the emptiness. His cry only made Henrik cry more loudly, and Johannes still made no sign of waking up. "H-help us! Please, I'm scared..." A heavy sensation of helplessness filled his entire being. Were they all going to die out here...?

"Help!" he sobbed, and Henrik joined in, calling "'elp" in a tiny, trembling voice.

A sudden sound made Arthur gasp, whirling around before his face lit up with utter relief. The unicorn! The beautiful creature stood in the clearing, eying them with concern. Finding new strength, he leapt up and ran forward, hugging the creature's neck as it bent down, its soft muzzle caressing him questioningly and its warm breath tickling his face.

"C-can you help us? P-please, Johannes... he's really sick! We c-can't find the way back..." he cried, and the creature eyed him warmly before walking over to the two other children on the ground. Henrik was wide-eyed, and Arthur supposed that he could only see a very magnificent horse, just like he saw a butterfly where he and Johannes could see a fairy.

He ran over as the unicorn lay down in the snow, giving a soft sound. With strength he didn't even know he had, Arthur managed to get Johannes onto its strong back, with the help of a few fairies that had come to see what was going on. Next to go was Henrik, who squealed with wonder as he sat behind Johannes, who lay forward, arms on each side of the unicorn's strong neck. Arthur climbed up next, a feeling of awe replacing some of the fear as the creature rose to its feet again. The young Englishman held his arms around Henrik, trying his best to be at least of some support to both him and Johannes.

Chilly air rushed against them as the bright creature leapt easily through the snow, it's gallop as soft as if it was merely walking, making it easy to keep their balance, even as it crossed fallen tree trunks and slopes easily.

Arthur allowed himself to enjoy it ever so slightly, even as he constantly worried about Johannes, who wasn't responding to the ride at all. Henrik giggled with joy in front of him, and he couldn't help but feel like some sort of brave knight on a shiny white horse – except for the unicorn's many colours.

Suddenly, they were on a small clearing near the forest edge, one Arthur recognized. He could hear calls of their names somewhere nearby and felt new tears spring to his eyes, this time out of relief. The unicorn bent down, and they got off. Arthur hugged it tightly, and it rubbed its head against him affectionately before standing, breathing warmly on Johannes one last time before running of back in between the trees, disappearing from view, no traces left to show it had ever been there.

"Johannes! Arthur! Henrik!" he heard, and leapt up.

"We're here!" he cried. "Help!"

"'ere, 'ere!" Henrik joined in, where he sat next to Johannes, still staring wonderingly into the forest where the unicorn had disappeared.

They heard rushed steps through the snow, and saw lights, and then Johannes' mother and father, as well as Arthur's own mom and a few neighbour farmers, appeared, running towards them with cries of relief and also worry, as they noticed Johannes on the ground. Arthur hugged his mom tightly and finally allowed himself to give in to the exhaustion and cold, passing out in her safe arms.

oOo

As it turned out, Johannes had caught a pneumonia, and had to stay at the hospital for a week, and then stay in bed for several weeks before he got well. Arthur never once suggested that they should go out and play, but instead stayed inside, sitting by his friend's bed and reading stories for him, or practicing his Norwegian.

He'd told him all about how the unicorn had saved them from freezing to death, and Johannes insisted that they would have to come up with a way to thank it next time they met. They tried telling the adults, but they of course pushed it aside as 'seeing fantasies due to exhaustion and extreme cold'. Somehow, it didn't really matter, because they both knew the reason why they could sit here and talk together at all, each of them holding a cup of warm chocolate.

"No, Henrik, I don't think farmer Eric owns a blue and pink horse..." Arthur heard Johannes' mother say confusedly somewhere in the distance, and he and Johannes shared a smile. It would be their secret, they knew, a secret that they would never forget.

oOo

_If you could leave a review telling me what you thought of it, that would make me very happy ~_

_Hei – hi/hello_

_Mamma – Mama, mom etc._

_Jævla drittsekk – Well, like he said; fucking bag of dirt... Do not use these words lightly, people! ^_^''_


	3. Santa Lucia

_Here comes another one-shot, this time a more sad and hopefully touching one ^^ It includes a Scandinavian tradition for the 13__th__ of December, called Lucia-day or Santa Lucia. I portray the Norwegian celebration of this in my story, as I am from Norway, and that is the way I'm familiar with ^^ I hope you'll enjoy the story~!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia – Axis Powers or any of its characters._

oOo

Bright green eyes, swimming with tears, eyed the frail-looking shape of the woman resting beneath the pristine bed sheets. She looked so pale, and she wasn't supposed to be so... weak-looking. In seven-year-old Arthur Kirkland's eyes, his mother was the strongest and prettiest, and liveliest woman on earth. No, in the entire universe! She wasn't supposed to look like this – like some sort of unmoving doll, green eyes shimmering tiredly the few moments she wasn't fast asleep, and lips curving only into a small ghost of a smile upon seeing him.

December was a month which traditionally should be spent in anticipation, in a warm house filled with the scent of home-made Christmas cakes and the sounds of his mother humming as she went about, baking or cleaning every nook and cranny of the house for the holiday.

It wasn't supposed to be spent in a cold hospital, with the smell of sickness, sorrow and death, where doctors rushed around to save lives, and nurses went about their daily chores, sometimes, in their breaks, hanging up the odd Christmas decoration. Sure, his mother's room had been nicely decorated by him and his older brothers, to make it at least a little more bearable for her – even if she wasn't awake most of the time to notice. His father had only smiled brokenly at the boys' efforts, and Arthur had seen his mother's eyes twinkle happily when she woke up to find the room filled with lights and joy.

At school, everyone were talking cheerfully about how much they looked forward to Christmas, wondering what they would get, or talking about how much they looked forward to eating delicious Christmas meals. The teachers told them about the history of Christmas, the time for miracles, and things were overall cheerful.

Arthur couldn't help the fact that the more cheerful everyone was, the sadder he grew. He couldn't think of one thing he wanted for Christmas, other than his mother getting well again. If this was truly a time for miracles, God wouldn't let her suffer, would he...?

"Arthur... Why don't you spend the night at Johannes' house tonight?" his father asked mildly, pulling the boy up on his lap and gazing at him with soft, blue eyes. They were rimmed with red due to too much worrying and too little sleep. "I'll call his parents and hear if it's all right."

Arthur knew by these words that his father was going to spend the night in the hospital, yet again, and felt his heart sink in his chest. His father only stayed the night at the hospital whenever his mother's illness grew particularly worrying.

"Okay..." he murmured, sniffling and drying his tears as he slipped down and walked over to his mother's bed, taking her hand in his own small ones and giving it a quick kiss, like those gentlemen in the old movies his mother was so fond of. "Good night, mum," he said, trying a weak smile. She didn't respond, but he hadn't expected it either.

oOo

The two boys were quiet where they lay beside each other in Johannes' bed. Ever since they went to bed half an hour ago, Arthur had been unable to sleep, taking to studying the wooden roof above them, and trying to recognize figures formed by the many knots. He knew Johannes was awake, but the other said nothing, simply laying there.

"You can't sleep?" the Norwegian boy asked after a while, his voice having the usual soft tone, that seemed so calm and reassuring, in a strange way. It was hard to remember sometimes, that the other was actually younger than Arthur – though only by a few weeks, as Arthur's birthday was the 23th of April, while Johannes' was on May the 17th.

"No... I can't stop thinking about mum," Arthur whispered, pulling the sheets further up to his chin. Johannes was quiet for a while, and when he spoke again, his tone had taken that certain tone that showed he was working on a plan. Arthur had learnt to recognize these slight changes in his friend's tones and expressions, as he knew that Johannes just wasn't the type of boy that would speak loudly about anything that crossed his mind.

"You know what day it is tomorrow?" The Norwegian boy asked. Arthur thought about it, but couldn't really think of anything special.

"December the 13th...?" he wondered confusedly.

"In Norway we have a tradition on December the 13th. We call it the Lucia-day. Or Santa Lucia."

"Santa Lucia?" Arthur asked curiously.

"Mhm. I think mamma said we celebrate it because a saint died a long time ago, on this day, or something. December the 13th is one of the darkest days of winter in Norway, and that's why we use lots of lights."

Arthur could hear that Johannes liked this tradition, it was obvious in the way his voice grew steadily more excited, despite his quiet tone.

"How do you celebrate it?" Arthur asked, sincerely interested now. He'd never heard of this tradition before. Johannes sat up and climbed out of bed.

"We dress in white clothes, and wear glitter garlands on our heads, while we carry candles and walk around to visit hospitals or old people. We also bake cakes with a special kind of spice beforehand, and give it to those we visit!" Johannes smiled as he walked across the floor with slow, deliberate moves. "We walk like this," he said with a giggle, and Arthur giggled too where he sat in the bed.

"There is one important thing! One person – and it has to be a girl – wears a crown with four lights, and this person is supposed to be Santa Lucia. And she have to be pretty, I think," he added in, almost as an afterthought.

"That sounds really fun," Arthur said, wishing he could see something like that sometime.

"Good, because I have an idea." Johannes' blue eyes twinkled with life, like they did whenever he was thinking about something particularly exciting. Arthur couldn't help but grin as he listened to what his friend had in mind.

oOo

Arthur was biting his lower lip slightly where he stood in the hospital corridor, shifting his weight from one leg to the other, like he often did when he was nervous or excited. Today, he was a bit of both. Next to him, Johannes gave him a small smile, holding his candle.

The boys had stayed up late the previous night, working as silently as they could on their plan. Despite being very silent, Johannes' mother had caught them on the kitchen, where they were trying to find something for their costumes. Instead of sending them to bed again, she had helped them arrange things, and with her help, they had found everything they needed.

The young Englishman felt quite excited where he stood, dressed in an overly big white shirt – belonging to Johannes' father – which reached his knees, with a belt of glitter garlands around his waist. Another garland of silver lay on top of his unruly hair, twinkling in the corridor lights. In his hands, he held a sturdy yet elegant crown with four lights. Johannes' mother had apparently saved the crown from her own youth, to the boys' luck.

The two boys were eyed with wonder and fascination, as they stood there, waiting for their cue. Soon, the doctor in charge of Arthur's mother dimmed the lights in the corridor, where a few patients, visitors, doctors and nurses had gathered curiously, sensing that something was to happen. In the end of the corridor, the door to Arthur's mother's room was open and the lights were dimmed there as well. Of course, they had checked first that his mother was awake and well enough for this.

"Ready?" Johannes whispered, as the two boys stood side by side, smiling at each other. Arthur nodded and they started walking in that slow, steady way they were supposed to walk, while Johannes sang the song they used to sing in Norway. His voice was soft and sounded strong yet gentle at the same time through the corridor. None of the adults in the corridor understood the words – Arthur only knew because Johannes and his mother had translated it roughly for him last night – but that didn't matter. They smiled and seemed to enjoy the calm mood.

_Svart senker natten seg__  
__I stall og stuer.__  
Solen har gått sin vei,  
Skyggene truer.  
Inn i vårt mørke hus  
Stiger med tente lys  
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia_

Arthur swallowed in anticipation as they neared the room. Then Johannes finished the Norwegian song, and it was his turn. Johannes' mother had found an English translation of the song, and although it was a bit different from the Norwegian one, the meaning was the same.

_Nightly, go heavy hearts  
Round farm and steading  
On earth, where sun departs,  
shadows are spreading.  
Then on our darkest night,  
Co__mes with her shining light  
Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!_

His voice was slightly nervous, but soon got steadier, encouraged by the smiles and warm expressions of the people standing around them. Finally, they reached the room and entered. The sight of his mother nearly threw him of the song, but he managed to keep singing softly, while beaming at her. She looked happier than he'd seen her in a long time. Her eyes were filled with tears, and a large smile was on her lips as she sat on her bed, her husband embracing her with an equally touched expression.

Arthur got tears in his own eyes as he stepped up on the stool that had been put there, reaching up and putting the crown carefully on his mother's head, before kissing her cheek. He and Johannes both sang the refrain one last time, their voices filling the silent room with warmth, while their candles lit the darkness, giving the hospital room a golden hue.  
_  
Then on our darkest night,  
Comes with her shining light  
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia_

At the end, Arthur's tears were streaming freely, and when his mother held out her arms, he willingly let himself be embraced, burying his face in her hospital gown.

"Oh, Arthur..." she murmured softly. "Thank you. This... this makes me very happy." She kissed his head and Arthur closed his eyes, listening to his mother's soft breathing and the 'thank you's from those who'd come to watch, as Johannes gave them the Lucia-cakes they had made at two o'clock in the night.

As he took in the scent of the cakes and his mother's mild apple-shampoo, and opened his eyes to see the lights casting a warm light across the room and its inhabitants, he suddenly realized that this was more than enough of a December-mood for him, and that Christmas really _was_ a time for miracles, after all.

oOo

_If you wish to learn more about the tradition, you can probably find it on the net, or you can check out a video on youtube called __**Rick Steves' European Christmas Part 4: Norway**__. This video is in English, and portrays some traditions of Norwegian Christmas, including Santa Lucia ^^_

_If you could leave a review telling me what you thought of it, that would make me really happy~  
_

_Mamma – mom/mama etc._


	4. Lykke

_I'm back with another little story about Arthur and Johannes~ It is a bit dramatic, and hopefully cute and enjoyable ^^__ Also, there will be a guest appearance by Kiku (Japan) and Heracles (Greece), and they're adults in my story. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy it!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia – Axis Powers or any of its characters._

oOo

It felt like flying. Arthur grinned widely where he sat on the swing, clinging to the ropes as Johannes, who was standing behind him on the swing, pushed them into higher speed and height. The feeling of his stomach dropping was exhilarating, and he was impressed that Johannes dared to push them to such heights while standing on the wooden plank. It was a big swing, luckily, so both of them had more than enough room. As the wind ruffled his hair, he was positive he heard the other giggle above him, and he grinned even wider.

"Higher!" he laughed. And instead of saying that he didn't dare, Johannes responded by sending them into an even faster speed, so fast and high that Arthur thought he might let go and fly up into the clouds.

Spring was a wonderful time, he decided. Sure, winter was awesome, with the snow and everything, but when the white masses disappeared, he was always happy to find the world just like it was before winter arrived, only... fresher, more new and exciting. So when he woke up to find the sun shining brightly in a cloudless, blue sky, he couldn't resist the temptation and had gone straight over to his friend's house. Not after being packed up in sweaters and scarves, though – his mother always told him to be careful in spring, because it was easy to get sick.

And so, because she'd told him specifically to be careful, he had resisted the urge to pull of the annoying layers of clothing, which was making him very warm and sweaty when they played.

He noticed suddenly that Johannes was slowing down, and felt a bit disappointed – although it was probably on time, because his hands were beginning to hurt from clinging to the ropes. Soon they came to a stop entirely, and jumped off.

"You want to go make boats?" Johannes asked, and Arthur nodded excitedly as they took off. Soon enough, each of them had made a little boat out of bark and some pages of an old newspaper they found abandoned on a bench. Heading down to the river that made its way through the small town, they found a safe place to stand before moving to set them on the surface. The currents soon swept them away, and the boys moved to follow them on the riverbank.

Arthur giggled as he followed the boat with his eyes, but suddenly he blinked, coming to a halt. He stopped and squinted his eyes, seeing a small bag tied to a bunch of rocks near land, drifting away on a piece of ice that had yet to melt.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing. Johannes followed his eyes, giving a small shrug as they got closer. Arthur leant forward and suddenly realized that the bag was moving. He then heard Johannes gasp and noticed the fear in the other boy's eyes.

"I think it's a cat!" he exclaimed. "Listen, it's meowing...!" And when Arthur strained his ears to hear over the bubbling of water, he realized that Johannes was right. Tiny sounds of desperation were indeed coming from the moving back – tied to rocks and currently floating further and further away from land...

"Oh no...!" he gasped frantically, while a mix of fear, anger and confusion swirled around in his mind. Who on earth would put a cat out on the river? Surely not someone who loved their cat, that much was for sure... "W-we have to help it!"

"How?" Johannes bit his bottom lip slightly as the boys hurried alongside the moving piece of ice, boats long forgotten.

Arthur swallowed heavily and looked forward, noticing the way the bank curved inwards into the river. Running over, he stumbled out on the small ledge and leant down. Johannes gripped his hand tightly, trying his best to support his friend, who leant out over the river, eyes determined as the bag came closer.

"Almost got it...!" he managed to gasp, as he stretched. With a sudden feeling of panic, he realized that his arm was too short. He moved without thinking and let go of Johannes' hand – the other giving a small yelp in surprise and worry – and reached down... His small fist grabbed the bag, but he hadn't anticipated the weight of the stones, and felt himself slip. With a cry, he stumbled forwards and felt icy water surround him in all directions.

The water thundered in his ears as he felt himself get pulled along with the currents, and he managed to struggle his way to the surface, breaking the surface with a gulp of fresh air before sinking again, flailing his arms in panic. He was going to die! He would be swallowed by the noisy masses of fuming water...! The thought sent waves of terror through him, as he managed to scramble up to the surface again, giving a panicked call for help in between gasps. Someone had to help him, he didn't want to die! His parents would be so sad, and who was going to play with Johannes...?

His vision darkened and he felt his lungs ache as he sank down into the darkness... and suddenly, someone was gripping his jacket, and he was helped to the surface, choking desperately on the air, coughing and spluttering. Above him, he could strangely make out a lone bird crossing in front of the sun, and then all of the sudden, he was lifted out of the water and laid on the ground, where warm hands began rubbing his arms and chest.

"It's all right, you're safe now, little one!" a soft and urgent voice said soothingly, and he let out a sob as he struggled to breathe properly due to the cold and the water that had forced its way down his throat. "Heracles, did you get the cat out?" the man called to someone, but Arthur couldn't really focus, as he felt himself being stripped of his soaked clothes and shoes, before being wrapped in a large and thankfully warm cloak. Tears of fear were streaming down his cheeks as he shivered violently.

"Arthur!" he heard a shaky cry, and suddenly Johannes was in front of him, face pale and tears making their way down his cheeks as well, as he suddenly gave Arthur a tight hug, to which Arthur responded by wrapping his arms around the other and giving a sob that was muffled by Johannes' scarf.

"I got it," another voice said in the background, and it sounded very angry, although it was a quiet kind of anger. It was followed by a series of shaky meows, and Arthur looked up to take in his surroundings for the first time. The initial shock was starting to pass, and he could see that he was actually half on the lap of a man who looked Asian, with kind, warm brown eyes. He was wet from his waist and down, Arthur noticed, and realized that this was the man who'd saved him from drowning. Looking past the man, he saw another, who was holding a soaked and clearly frightened kitten gently, drying its fur of the best he could with the front of his sweater.

"Bastards, doing something like this..." the man practically growled, his gentle eyes filled with both compassion, sadness and despise at the same time. The Asian man merely nodded in agreement before turning to Arthur again, giving him a worried look.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Y-yeah..." Arthur managed to gasp out between his trembles, and tried to give a brave smile, although it failed slightly. He was so cold... It was making his head throb in complaint, and he felt kind of dizzy. The young Englishman didn't even notice he was falling before he was caught by those strong arms and lifted up.

"Where do you live? We have to get you home quickly, so you can get some warm clothes," he said softly, but Arthur's head was getting to fuzzy. Where did he live again...? He couldn't remember the address...

"I'll lead the way!" Johannes thankfully said, and Arthur allowed himself to relax, leaning into the man's body warmth as they started moving. Soon, he drifted off to a state of slumber, and was awoken only momentarily by the two men speaking quietly to each other. Something about wondering what to do with the kitten.

"Arthur!" he awoke again, this time to his father's shocked voice, and soon he found himself embraced tightly, and looked up at his father, giving a small smile. He wasn't really that cold anymore, and although he still felt exhausted, it wasn't that bad. "Good heavens!" his mother's voice piped in, and they both wanted to know what had happened, ushering him with kisses and comfort, while asking the men what happened.

"Seems your son tried to save a kitten left to drown on the river," the tall man named Heracles said quietly with a small smile, still petting the small creature, which seemed content in his protective arms, purring quietly. "If it hadn't been for him clinging to the bag even after falling in, this little one wouldn't have lasted."

"Luckily, we heard his friend's cries for help, and we got him out quickly," the Asian man added, giving a small smile, paying no heed to his own soaked pants, or the bundle of wet clothes under his arm.

"Oh, Arthur, darling..." Arthur felt slightly guilty as his mother hugged him tightly. He didn't want her to worry about him in addition to tending to her own fragile health.

"I'm okay, mum, really," he said, words slurred slightly by drowsiness," 'm just tired..." His mother's eyes shone with tears, but she gave a smile none-the-less, relief and love clear in her gaze. Then she moved to look at the men on their porch and suddenly stood, leaving Arthur's father to hold him. Then she walked forward, and embraced both men tightly.

"Thank you... Thank you so much!" she said, voice thick with emotions, and they in turned smiled modestly. "Please, come in! You must be freezing! You too, Johannes, come on," she bent down and pulled the Norwegian boy into warm hug before ushering them all inside and closing the door against the chilly spring breeze.

That was the last thing Arthur noticed before falling asleep completely in his father's arms.

oOo

"What are we going to name her?" Johannes asked where he sat at the end of Arthur's bed, feet crossed as he eyed the creature in Arthur's arms with a smile. Heracles and Kiku – the Asian man – had suggested that they kept the kitten, as they themselves seemed to have a lot of cats already. Due to one of Arthur's older brothers being allergic, it was agreed that Johannes was going to take care of it. It would still belong to them both, though, the boys had decided.

"Hm... I don't know," Arthur murmured, petting the fluffy, orange fur carefully, to the animal's great contentment. They were both quiet for a while, thinking about it, when suddenly Johannes smiled.

"What about Lykke?" he suggested mildly. "It means happiness, and I think she's very happy that she's alive."

"Lykke..." Arthur tasted the name on his tongue, trying it out a few times, before grinning. "It's a pretty name!" he agreed. "And fits her perfectly," he added with a giggle.

And as if to show that she completely agreed, Lykke gave a pleased meow, rubbing against Arthur's hand and purring softly, all thoughts of the tragedy that had nearly occurred at the river blissfully forgotten.

oOo

_I'd really appreciate it if you could leave me a review telling me what you thought of__ it, instead of just faving... We all know that a good review means more, and is a lot more interesting than someone just putting the story in their favourites... ^_^''_

_And, by the way; Lykke means happiness, but can also mean fortune or luck :3 Fitting name, no?_

_Ciao for now~_


	5. Birthday

_17__th__ of May is coming up, and I just had to write a fic about it. In case you didn't know, 17__th__ of May is the national day of Norway (my home country). And thus; this fluffy little story is the result ^^ Hope you like it~!_

oOo

Arthur stared in awe at the sight in front of him. He wasn't sure what he had expected when Johannes had invited him over for his birthday, but this certainly wasn't it. Norwegian flags had been raised both in the flag pole and by the porch, as well as decorations made by branches with freshly sprung, green leaves.

Really, he'd heard of balloons at birthdays, but... flags and leaves? Dressed in some nice, more formal clothes his mother had fished out of from who-knows-where in his wardrobe, he slowly continued his walk up to the porch, fiddling with the package he was holding.

Before he reached the front door, it opened, and for the second time that day, Arthur came to a stop, a stunned expression adorning his face.

Johannes was normally quite casual in his way of dress, wearing clothing that was practical for playing, just like any other seven-year-old boy would do. Today, however, he was certainly not dressed casually. In fact, Arthur couldn't remember ever seeing clothing like that before.

It was a mix of black, red and white fabric, complicated embroidery, silver, intricate buttons, and other elaborate details. The pants were old-fashioned, reaching his knees, where a pair of white stockings reached down to the shiny, black shoes. To put it simple, Arthur couldn't remember seeing a more amazing outfit, despite its oddity, and unfamiliarity.

"What are you wearing?" was the first, surprised words to leave his mouth, and the next moment he felt a bit stupid, standing there like a fish out of water. Johannes merely giggled at his expression, blue eyes twinkling with joy, and cheeks rosy.

"You don't like my bunad?" he asked.

"Bu-nad?" the young Englishman tasted the word, vaguely remembering Johannes talk about it earlier. Apparently, it was the national costume of Norway, and people wore it as formal wear, for weddings and such, for example. Today wasn't a wedding, though, nor was a birthday _that_ formal... Perhaps they took birthdays more serious in Norway? What, with the flags and all...

"Yeah. I don't really like it. It looks ok, but it's itchy and it takes forever to put on..." the Norwegian smiled none-the-less, not dwelling at the negative sides of the clothing.

"You wear bunads for birthdays? I thought they were only for formal occasions... Oh, and it looks pretty nice, just unusual that's all.

"Usually we only wear it for today's birthday," Johannes smiled, and Arthur's eyes widened slightly.

"Your birthday is _that_ important?" he asked, and felt a bit confused when Johannes suddenly giggled again.

"No, silly. Today's not only my birthday. It's Norge's birthday!"

Norway's birthday? Oh...! Suddenly, Arthur remembered what the other had told him about celebrations at the national day of his home-country. A blush touched his cheeks at this error, but soon after, he was laughing along with Johannes' contagious fit of giggles.

"Let's go inside!" Johannes grabbed hold of his hand, pulling him inside, where Arthur was met by the nice scent of Johannes' mother's homemade food. She had to be one of the best cooks in the entire universe, in Arthur's opinion. Even though he'd been there for dinner only a few times, it was always the kind of meal that made your stomach feel perfectly full, yet left your tongue wanting to taste more.

"Oh, I forgot! Arthur stopped, handing over the package in his hands. "Happy birthday!" Johannes took the package, smiling brightly.

"Thank you!" The two boys headed through to the living room, which was also decorated with flags. The TV was on, showing one of the Norwegian channels they had. Arthur stared in awe, as Johannes started unwrapping the package.

There were so many people and so much noise! Hordes of people, dressed in bunads or other nice clothes, were parading down the streets of some city. It looked like a gigantic train of people, waving their flags, smiling and waving at the camera as it zoomed in... Despite the fact that the weather was grey, and looked rather chilly, that didn't stop them from marching along to the upbeat corps music.

"That's from Stavanger. It's a city in Norway," Johannes smiled, pausing from the unwrapping for a moment when he noticed Arthur's wide eyes and slightly open mouth. "Every year, they film the parades in most of the large cities in Norway, sometimes interviewing people."

"That's... wow!" was the only thing Arthur could say, eyes practically glued to the TV screen, as what looked to be a reporter interviewed a couple of what looked to be five-year-olds. He couldn't understand a word they were saying, but they looked incredibly happy, red-cheeked and eating ice cream.

"Oh!" Johannes had finished unpacking the present, and was steadily beginning to look even happier than before, eyes practically shining as he looked at the items in hand. Arthur had wondered what to give his friend, and his mother had been the one with the idea that maybe he'd like a slice of Norway. Arthur's uncle had conveniently visited Norway on a business trip, and Arthur asked him to buy something typical Norwegian for Johannes.

"Brunost! Oh, and Freia chocolate! Where did you get this?"

Johannes could be a complicated person to buy gifts for, difficult to surprise and even more difficult to impress. This seemed to have hit the nail on the spot, though, despite the fact that both items were edible and would be gone within short time. Arthur had figured upon his uncle's suggestion, that it would be perfect – he knew his best friend missed Norway terribly at times.

"I flew over to Norway just to buy it, you better be thankful," Arthur joked, giggling as his friend caught him in a happy hug. That was a true sign it was the perfect gift, hugs weren't something Johannes gave around often.

"Thank you! It's been so long since I've eaten this!" Johannes paused, glancing towards the kitchen, where his parents were probably cooking dinner. "One bite won't hurt, I suppose..." an eager smile touched his lips as he opened the wrapping paper of the large bar of milk chocolate. Breaking off two pieces, he handed one of them to Arthur who took it curiously, having not tasted Norwegian chocolate before.

Johannes put the piece in his mouth, giving a blissful sigh at the familiar taste. Arthur glanced at his own piece, before taking a bite. It was a lot sweeter than the chocolate he was used to, and tasted less like cocoa and more like... he didn't know what. All he knew was that...

"It's delicious!" Savouring the sweet taste and the general un-healthiness of it – there was no way chocolate this light and sweet could be good for you – he smiled, finishing the rest of his piece in no time. And here he'd heard his uncle complain about the Norwegian chocolate, calling it "sugary, tasteless rubbish". Perhaps the sweetness was something adults didn't like, wanting everything to be so bloody healthy...

"Johannes, please don't tell me you are eating _chocolate_ when we're about to have dinner?" Johannes gulped, turning to see his mother standing there, hands on hips. She looked stunning in her own bunad – the female version of it, and with a somewhat different design. Arthur and Johannes both saw through the strict-act, as a smile played at her lips.

"Um... want some?" Johannes grinned, breaking off a piece, and she chuckled, quickly snapping up the piece and popping it into her mouth.

"Mm, it's been much to long since I got a taste of this!" Both boys giggled at this, and Arthur scratched the previous thought from his head. It seemed not _all_ adults would dislike the "sugary, tasteless rubbish" after all.

"Come along now, boys, dinner's ready!" she smiled, and they complied, heading off to the dining area of the kitchen, where Johannes father and little brother were already seated. Arthur was quite curious to the meal, which consisted of some sort of soup, with meat and meat balls, accompanied by potatoes, carrots and other vegetables. It smelled heavenly, and – upon taking the first tastes of it – tasted just as wonderful.

Dinner was a cheerful affaire, just like it normally was. The little family were in a lot of aspects quiet and calm, but at the same time there was a genuinely happy and peaceful atmosphere surrounding them. Arthur had long since come to enjoy being with them all, as they made him feel welcome. Almost like he was a part of their family. It sure wasn't as peaceful at dinner time at home, with several older brothers constantly bickering and arguing, and his parents trying to keep things in order.

Norwegians were also a very polite breed, it seemed. Whenever a meal was finished, they would say "Takk for maten", which literarily meant "Thanks for the food". It didn't matter who made the food, they would just thank each other, which made it seem like everyone had participated in the making of the meal in some way. Arthur liked that habit, because it seemed to come so naturally. It wasn't just a stiff, polite "thanks", just because manners called for it.

As they finished eating, Johannes and Arthur headed back to the living room, where the parades was still playing in the TV. People were gathered in front of a large building, where several people stood, waving in a manner that could only mean they were the royal family.

"That's our king," Johannes pointed to a balding, elderly and smiling man, "and our queen," he pointed to the lady by the king's side, who wore a rather beautiful outfit. She too was smiling, looking out on the many people below.

"I could have guessed that. Look at the way they are waving! So stiff... they must get tired after a while of doing that!" Arthur straightened his back, pretending to wave in a highly dignified, royal manner, as if he had hundreds of people looking up to him with awe and expectation.

"I know! If I were king, I don't think I'd want to wave like that," Johannes smiled, "I'd do like this..." he stood at Arthur's side, waving enthusiastically, and – Arthur began laughing at this – blowing kisses.

"You wouldn't!" he exclaimed between fits of laughter. The mere thought of it was hilarious; Johannes, ever the calm and quiet one, waving like an idiot from a balcony, blowing kisses out to the people that came to see him wave.

"Oh I would. It's important, I think, that you look like you're enjoying yourself. I'd fall asleep standing like that!" he feigned a dead serious expression, before the giggles broke through. "Ok, so maybe the kiss-blowing is a bit much," he admitted. "Would have been fun if the king did that, though, wouldn't it?"

Arthur had to agree fully on that, it would have been quite a sight. He couldn't imagine the calm-looking old man blowing energetic kisses out to the public, though.

"I actually miss the parades back in Norway," Johannes said thoughtfully after a while. "I used to think they were a bore, even though the mood was really great. And now I miss it... stupid, huh?"

An idea struck Arthur suddenly at the somewhat distant, sad expression on his friend's face.

"Then let's parade! You have flags, don't you?"

Johannes looked at him, incredulously, before a smile shone up on his face.

"You really want to? You're not Norwegian, though..."

"I'll pretend to be, just for today! We can go down to the ice cream parlour! You said you used to eat a lot of ice cream, right?"

It didn't take a lot to convince Johannes, and pretty soon they were armed with Norwegian flags and some sort of party-whistle that seemed to be popular on 17th of May. Upon seeing that they were going out, Henrik wanted to join them, and then they were outside, marching down the street.

It was Henrik that first began to sing, the normally shy boy taken by the moment as he waved his flag cheerfully. It was a Norwegian song, and Johannes soon sang along, teaching Arthur the chorus part, "Det er Norge, i rødt, hvitt og blått". That is Norway, in red, white and blue. Neither of the Norwegian boys knew the entire lyrics, so it didn't matter that Arthur didn't know. He whistled along at any rate, making a marching rhythm by clicking the tips of his two flags together, and stomping at the concrete with his shoes.

People popped their heads out of their doors and windows, eying them with smiling faces and curiosity, but the attention that might have made the boys uncomfortable any ordinary day, only cheered them on as they whistled and sang, and waved their flags.

It didn't matter that Arthur was as British as the ground they were marching on, nor did it matter that they didn't have a pair of royals waving stiffly from a balcony. All that mattered was the joy of marching along to their own tunes, celebrating two different birthdays in one.

"Hip Hip Hip!" Johannes called out, and the next moment, Henrik and Arthur both shouted out a chorus of "Hooray" – or "Hurra", as the Norwegians would say.

For some reason, Arthur knew he'd never look at the 17th of May the same way ever again, and he certainly wouldn't forget the first time he walked the streets of his home as a proud "Norwegian".

"Hip Hip Hip!"

"Hurra!"

oOo

_First of all: Freia Milk chocolate is the best chocolate in the world! And sure, it might be a bit too sweet for many of those who prefer that dark, bitter sh*t they call chocolate a lot of other places in Europe (I mean no offense, that's just my opinion ^^)_

_I hope you learned something new about the wonderful day that is 17__th__ of May. Yes, we do walk parades, waving flags and singing and stuff, and while it can be a bit boring at times, I just love it! The mood is wonderful, and people just seem more... well, more united as a nation ^^ Call me ridiculously patriotic, but I just love the symbolism behind the celebrations of the day. I won't go into boring details here, check out google or whatever if you're interested ;)_

_Bunad is beautiful formal wear, but just like Johannes said; they take forever to put on, and can be a general pain in the arse! Personally I much prefer a normal dress or something :3_

_Seeing the parades on the TV is part of the holiday, and really creates a good mood! (And I seriously would have loved to see King Harald waving and blowing kisses from the balcony!)_

_Brunost is brown cheese, and it's very, very good~! Especially on fresh-baked bread, with some butter and raspberry jam~ *w* Yummy~_

_And children (adults too, but children especially) eat ridiculous amounts of ice cream and popsicles on this day! It's sort of like an unwritten rule that children can eat a lot more ice cream than their parents would normally allow. Personally I'm not too fond of ice cream, though popsicles can be rather good on a warm spring/summer day ^^_

_Any questions you might have? Feel free to ask~_

_Hope you enjoyed it, and please leave a review telling me what you thought of it! That would make me very happy~ *w*_

_Hip Hip Hip HURRA!_


End file.
